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“Becca Barnes, will you marry me?”
Those six simple words brought Becca’s entire world down. Steven Grant Rogers, the man she loved more than anything in the world, was down on one knee, asking her to spend the rest of her life with him. Through sickness and through health, for richer and for poorer, till death do them part. There was nothing she wanted more. Then why was she frozen? Why couldn’t she just say yes?
Becca took Steve’s hand and leaned into his arm as they walked away from her apartment.
“Where are you taking me?” she giggled, her eyes bright and warm.
The blond smiled and kissed her cheek. “That’s for me to know and you to find out, doll. I promise, you’ll love it.”
Even before they were together, Becca had always cared for him. When the rest of the world saw a scrawny little nobody, she saw Steve for what he really was: a shining soul with a heart of gold. Before Steve had learned to love himself, Becca had loved him.
The brunette popped a strawberry into her mouth and looked out onto the city skyline. “This is amazing, Stevie,” she hummed, her eyes wide.
Steve smiled and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “Only the best for my girl.”
Becca laughed and leaned into his touch, admiring the stars twinkling above them.
“You’re such a sap.”
“Only for you.”
Steve had taken Becca’s broken shards and pieced them together. He’d loved her when she felt like she was unlovable. He loved her beyond all reason, and it was that fact that scared Becca. What if she hurt him? What if something happened to him because of her? Becca couldn’t let that happen. She couldn’t put him in danger like that.
Steve squeezed Becca’s hand tightly as they walked down the pier, the streetlights illuminating their path. “Remember when we used to come here as kids?”
“ It feels like forever ago, so much has changed,” she remarked, resting her head on his shoulder.
The blond slowed his pace and eventually came to a stop, taking both of her hands in his. “So much has changed for the both of us, but there’s one thing that hasn’t changed, and that’s us. Since the beginning, I’ve always had you. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without you. I’m in love with you.”
A soft smile spreads across her face. “I love you too—” “
That’s why,” he continued, dropping to one knee and reaching into his pocket, “I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He pulled out a small box and gently opened to reveal a glistening diamond ring. “Becca Barnes, will you marry me?”
“Beccs..?” Steve looked up at the brunette, his blue eyes clouded with concern. “You alright?”
Her eyes fell to the diamond ring nestled in the tiny velvet box and her breaths grew shaky. She couldn’t do that to him. “I-I’m so sorry,” she managed to squeak before turning and running down the pier, the wind whipping around her face as silent tears soaked her cheeks. Becca didn’t know where she was running to, or whether she was running from something, but she found herself stumbling up a familiar staircase and knocking on a worn oak door.
“Becca? What are you doing here, isn’t Steve—?” The brunette collapsed into her brother’s arms, her body shaking as she sobbed.
Bucky held her close and rubbed her back. “It’s okay, you’re okay, I’ve got you.” After Becca had calmed down, she was able to relay her doubts to Bucky. He sighed and looked down at her trembling hands clasped in his. “You should talk to him once you’re up to it. He deserves at least that from you.”
She sniffed and nodded. “I-I’m just scared I hurt him—”
“Hey,” he said quietly, pressing a kiss to her forehead, “he’ll be okay. Just focus on yourself for right now, okay? Go sit on the escape, fresh air will help.” The woman smiled weakly and squeezed her brother’s hands tightly before going out onto the fire escape, curling up on the cool metal grates as the cool night air blew around her.
Hours later, Steve knocked on his best friend’s door, his eyes red with tears. Bucky opened the door and his face fell at the blond’s disheveled state.
“Please—” Steve’s voice cracked and his eyes pleaded with the dark-haired man in front of him. “Let me talk to her.”
“I know you just want to help, but she needs some room to breathe. She’ll come to you when she’s ready.”
Steve ran a hand through his hair and leaned against the wall. “God, Buck, I messed up. I hurt her.”
Bucky shook his head. “Steve, you didn’t hurt her. She just needs time.”
“But I did. I pushed her, there must’ve been somewhere I messed up.”
He sighed. “Stevie-”
“I’m sorry, Buck— I let her down. Tell her I love her, okay? And make sure she finds someone that will make her happy.”
“Hold on-” Bucky stepped in front of Steve. “No. You’re not just packing up and leaving because something got hard. Where’s the Steve that would fight even though he had no chance of winning? The one that never went down without a fight?”
“Buck-” Bucky’s brow furrowed and he jabbed a finger into the blond’s chest. “Don’t ‘Buck’ me. I’m not letting you leave, not until you go out there and fight. If you really love her, if you really want this, go tell her yourself.”
Steve looked away and bit his lip. “Fine.” He pushed past Bucky and walked to the window, carefully lifting it before climbing out onto the fire escape. Becca was curled up in the corner of the balcony, her face turned towards the city skyline. He leaned against the metal railing and watched her as she pulled her knees closer to her chest.
“I understand if you don’t want to talk about it right now, or if you don’t want to talk about it at all,” he said softly. Becca didn’t move. “If you’re not ready, that’s fine. I just— If you want me to go, I will. But I want to stay. If you’ll have me.”
The silence that followed was the loudest he’d ever heard. A quiet creak broke the tension and Steve looked up as the brunette scooted over to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Becca gently took his hand and intertwined their fingers, rubbing her thumb on the back of his hand. He rested his head on top of hers and watched as the sun rose over Brooklyn. It was going to be okay. They were going to be okay.